CLEO: 2012 Wraps Up in San Jose

SAN JOSE, May 14—CLEO: 2012,concluded in San Jose last week after six days of technical and business programming highlighting the latest research and developments in the fields of lasers and electro-optics. Attendees heard presentations on ultrafast lasers, OCT, optical sensing, and nanophotonic devices from some of the top scientists, engineers, and business people around the world.

High-Quality Technical Programming

The week kicked off with a special tribute symposium to the late laser pioneer Anthony Siegman, which featured talks on unstable laser cavities, speckle, and Siegman’s founding contributions to the field of quantum nonlinear optics. It was one of seven special symposia at the conference, ranging in topics from quantum engineering to space optical systems.

The ubiquity of lasers in research and applications was evident in the more than 1,800 technical presentations in three core areas. The CLEO: Applications & Technology track included a presentation on the development of a small, flexible endoscope fitted with a femtosecond laser “scalpel” that can remove diseased or damaged tissue while leaving healthy cells untouched. Under the CLEO: Science & Innovations program, researchers demonstrated a counterintuitive concept: solar cells should be designed to be more like LEDs, able to emit light as well as absorb it. The CLEO: QELS Fundamental Science track featured research from French and Canadian scientists who developed a new method to study electron motion using isolated, precisely timed, and incredibly fast pulses of light.

Leading Speakers

Plenary session speakers also represented the breadth of the conference topics, with the University of Ottawa’s Bob Boyd speaking on nonlinear optics and Steve DenBaars of the University of California Santa Barbara representing the applications side by discussing the state-of-the-art in gallium nitride LEDs. France’s Mathias Fink delivered a fascinating presentation on time-reversed waves and subwavelength focusing, while IBM’s Yurii Vlasov gave attendees a glimpse into the future of datacenters and supercomputers as it relates to silicon nanophotonics.

Industry Buzz

CLEO: Expo featured 300 participating companies as well as the launch of the new “Technology Playground,” where attendees had the opportunity to interact directly with exhibiting company products and view hands-on demos. Market Focus programming on the show floor featured speakers on topics such as materials processing for the auto and heavy machines industry to advances in femtosecond surgery for vision correction. The Technology Transfer Program highlighted entrepreneurs and researchers at start-ups, major universities, businesses and national labs presenting new technologies that are ready and available for commercialization.

The hard work of the CLEO volunteer committees is reflected in the full range of topics covered at CLEO: 2012, providing attendees with exclusive access to a premier set of scientific, business and networking programs in the field of optics and photonics. Mark your calendars for next year as CLEO returns to San Jose for CLEO: 2013, June 9 - 14.

About CLEO

With a distinguished history as the industry's leading event on laser science, the Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO) is where laser technology was first introduced. CLEO unites the field of lasers and electro-optics by bringing together all aspects of laser technology, with content stemming from basic research to industry application. CLEO: Expo showcases the latest products and applications from more than 300 participating companies from around the world, providing hands-on demonstrations of the latest market innovations and applications. The Expo also offers valuable on-floor programming, including Market Focus and the Technology Transfer program.

Sponsored by the American Physical Society's (APS) Laser Science Division, the Institute of Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Photonics Society and the Optical Society (OSA), CLEO provides the full range of critical developments in the field, showcasing the most significant milestones from laboratory to marketplace. With an unparalleled breadth and depth of coverage, CLEO connects all of the critical vertical markets in lasers and electro-optics. For more information, visit the conference's website at www.cleoconference.org.

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